Hat construction and art of making the same



Dec. 27,- 1932. F. H. LEE 1,892,515

HAT CONSTRUCTION AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 23, 1930 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 19-32 STATS PATENT OFFEC H. LEE, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG'NOR TO THE FRANK HI LEE COM- PANY, F DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT V I HAT CONSTRUCTION AND ART OF MAKING- THE SAME Application filed August 23, 1930. Serial No. 477,248.

This invention relates to hat construction and the art of making the same. One of the objects of this invention is to provide asimple, practical and rugged hat construction,- particularly with respect to the relation of the sweatband to the hat body. Another object is to provide a sweatband construction for hats that will be of simple manufacture, capable of rapid and inexpensive attachment to the hat body and durable. Another object is to provide a hat construction in which the transmission of perspiration from the sweatband to the body of the hat and/or to the hat ribbon is prevented or effectively minimized by means that will be simple, inexpensive, efiicient in action, and adapted to withstand long-continued practical use. Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and practical art of constructing a hat and an art that is readily carried out in practice. Another object is to provide a thoroughly practical art of making a sweatband construction. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations ofelements, arrangements of parts and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which'will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown certain preferred forms of the mechanical features of my invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in vertical section, of a perspiration-proof sweatband;

Figure 2 is a plan view or development, on a small scale, of one part of the sweatband construction;

Figure 3 is a plan view or development, on a like smaller scale, of another part of my sweatband construction, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view partly in vertical cross-section of a hat construction embodying illust-ratively the mechanical features of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, I'first provide a. so-called sweatband 10 preferably of leather and give it, by any suitable means, a shape substantially like that indicated in Figure 2 in which the leather band 10 is shown developed or-lying fiat. This shape of the band 10 issuchjthat, when the ends 10 and 10 of the band 10 areabutted against each other as they are in the ultimate hat body, the band 10 will assume and be. given a substantially frusto-conical shape. In Figure 4 this frusto-conical shape of the band 10 is clearly shown, the band 10 leaning inwardly and away from the substantially vertical .side wall 11 ofthe hat body generally indicated at 11 and which may be made of any suitable material, preferably of fur felt.

I thereupon provide a band-like strip or sheet 12 (see Fig. 3) of a suitable waterresistant or waterproof material, preferably a material having a suitable fabric for a base and having applied to one side thereof a suitable wa-terproofing material, such as a rubber compoundor the 1ike,'thus leaving the other side in the substantially roughened condition of the linen fabric itself. Gonveniently, the material of the band 12 may be a suitable linen fabric, one side of which is rubberized, leaving the rubberized side substantially smooth and the other side relatively rough. The band 12 in Figure 3 is shown with the rubberized or smooth side thereof exposed, the under side being substantially untreated and relatively rough.

This band 12 of the material thus waterproofed, I preferably give a substantially rectangular shape, as is indicated in Figure 8, so that, when the end edges 12 and 12 thereof are abutted, as they preferably are when related to the hat body 11 (Figure 4), the band member 12 is substantially cylindrical as'distinguished from the frusto-conical shape of the leather band 10, as above described.

Where, therefore, the leather band 10 assumes an angular relation with respect to the side wall portionll of the hat body 11, as is shown clearly in Figure 4, the band member 12 will aline itself into substantial parallelism with the side Wall portion 11*. V

The band member 12 is folded under along its lower edge, as is indicated at 12 in Figure 8, and as appears also plainly in Figure 1, the folded portion 12 being made to abut against the unrubberized or rear (as viewed in Figure 1) face of the main body portion of the band member 12.

The fold 12 having thus been made, I next lap the longer longitudinal edge 10 (see Figure 2) of the leather band 10 over upon the smooth or water-proofed face of the band member 12, relating the two band members substantially as is indicated in Figure 1. I thereupon sew the lower edge portion 10 of the leather band 10 to the band member 12 with stitching, indicated at 13 in Figure 1, that passes through the band member 12 and through the rearwardly overlapping marginal portion 12 thereof, thus positively holding the portion 12 in its folded relation to the band 12 and providing a nicely rounded portion 12 (Figure 1) of double thickness that extends lengthwise along the longitudinal edge 10 of the leather band 10, the smooth or waterproofed face 12 of the band member 12 facing the outer face of the leather band 10.

The above-described sweatband construction is thereupon ready for insertion into the hat body, the construction being inserted into the inner band portion, that is, the portion 11 of the hat body 11 adjacent the brim 11", so that the rounded edge portion 12 (see Figure 1) extends along the juncture between the crown 11 and the brim 11 of the i hat 11; this rounded edge portion 12*, of

' band 10 and the abutting ends 12 and 12 of the band member 12 may be secured together in any suitable manner. By reason of such features as the relative shaping of the members 10 and 12, as is indicated in Figures 2 and 3, the band member 12, assuming a substantially cylindrical shape, as distinguished from a frusto-conical shape, is made to lay itself snugly and flatwise against the inner face of the band portion 11 of the hat, the outer rough surface 12 (Figure 1) of the band member 12 contacting directly with the material of the hat body and being thus made to be held in snug frictional contact with the band portion of the hat itself. The leather band 10 assumes the frusto-conical shape above-described and clearly shown in Figure a, leaning away from the side portions of the crown of the hat and achieving a substantially self-conforming action with respect to the head of the wearer.

The parts 10 and 12 are securely held in position within the hat body by such features as the stitching 1 1 which passes through both thicknesses of the member 12 and by the stitching 13 which passes through both thicknesses of the band 12 as well as through the leather band 10 itself, the three thicknesses of material, that is, of the members 10, 12 and 12, insuring not only substantial me chanical strength in a direction peripherally of the hat body but also, due to the manner in which they are secured together, substan tial mechanical resistance to material bodily displacement in a vertical direction of the one member with respect to the other.

The band member 12 will be seen to be of a height substantially commensurate with the hei 'ht of the leather band 12, and, though. made preferably of a very light weight material, it is dependably held against crimping or folding up in the space between the band 10 and the side portion 11 of the hat body by reason of the good frictional contact which the rough substantially untreated face 12 thereof makes with the inside face of the hat portion 11.

The inner waterproofed surface 12 of the band member 12 is, on the contrary, made to face toward the leather band 10 and will also be seen to be exposed throughout the rounded edge portion 12 (Figure 1) of double thickness, effectively preventing the direct transmission of perspiration, oils or like moisture from the head of the wearer from the leather band 10 to the hat body 11, the latter and the exterior band, indicated at 15 in Figure 1, being thus effectively safeguarded against becoming stained. The outside ribbon 15 is held in position by stitching, indicated at 16 and 17, this stitching preferably extending about the side portions of the hat body and the stitching 16 I positionso that the inside portions thereof come underneath the folded portion'12 of the waterproofed band 12 and displaced vertically from the stitching 13 and 14. The double thickness of the band 12 thus effectively prevents the transmission of moisture to the stitching 16, the latter being thus prevented from acting as a wick to carry the moisture to the ribbon or outside band 15.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a construction and a method of achieveing the same in which the various objects hereinabove pointed out, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved. The construction is strong and durable and of highly eflicient action and makes possible considerable saving in manufacture. For example, the construction illustrated in Figure 1 is unitary and in having the folded portion 12 of the waterproofed band 12 secured in place as by the stitching 13, I am enabled rapidly and without any difiiculty to sew the sweatband construction in place in the hat, the substantially beaded or rounded edge portion 12 providing not only an excellent peripheral portion for the stitching but also insuring in the ultimate hat construction a neat and highly presentable appearance. Moreover, the construction will be seen to be well adapted to meet the varying conditions of hard practical use. i

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In hat construction, in combination, a substantially frust-o-conical sweatband, a substantially cylindrical band member having one face thereof waterproofed and the other face thereof substantially rough, said second-mentioned band being interposed between said sweatband and the hat body but with the rough face thereof exposed toward the hat body and having its lower edge portion turned upwardly to expose the smooth face thereof toward the hat body, means securing both thicknesses of said second-mentioned band to said sweatband, and means securing said two thicknesses of said secondmentioned band to said hat body.

2. In hat construction, in combination, a substantially frusto-conical sweatband, a substantially cylindrical band member havingone face thereof waterproofed and the other face thereof substantially rough, said second-mentioned band being interposed between said sweatband and the hat body but with the rough face thereof exposed toward the hat body and having its lower edge portion turned upwardly to form a lower peripheral beaded edge, means securing said beaded edge to said hat body, and means securing the lower peripheral edge of said sweatband to both thicknesses of said second-mentioned band.

3. In hat construction, in combination, a sweatband, a hat body, a waterproofed band member having a smooth face and a rough face interposed between said sweatband and said hat body but with the rough face thereof exposed toward the hat body. said band member being overturned along its lower peripheral edge to form a beaded edge, means securing said beaded edge to said hat body, and means securing said sweatband to both thicknesses of said band member adjacent said beaded edge.

In sweatband construction, in combination, a sweatband of substantially frusto-conical shape, a waterproofed band member of substantially cylindrical shape having a relac lindrical sha e havin a smooth surface.

and a rough surface, said band member having a portion along its lower peripheral edge overturned from the smooth surface thereof to lie substantially against the rough surface thereof, a sweatband, one edge of which is secured to the lower edge of said band member and above the base thereof by stitches extending through said band member and through the overturned portion thereof, a hat body, said band member being disposed in said hat body so that the rough surface of said band member lies next to said hat body, and stitches out of contact and below said sweatband extending through said band member and the overturned portion thereof into said hat body to secure said band member and said sweatban d to said hat body.

6. In hat construction, in combination, a waterproofed band member of substantially cylindrical shape having a smooth surface and a rough-surface, said bandmember having a portion along its lower peripheral edge overturned from the smooth surface thereof to lie substantially against the rough surface thereof, sweatband of substantially frusto-conical shape, the larger diametric edge of which is secured to the lower edge of said band member and above the base thereof by stitches extending through said band member and through the overturned portion thereof, a hat body, stitches out of contact and below said sweatband extending through said band member and the overturned portion thereof into said hat body to secure said band member and said sweatband to said hat body, and a band lying on the exterior of said hat substantially adjacent said band member and secured to said hat by stitches passing therefrom through said hat body and out of contact with the stitches connecting said band member to said hat body;

7 The herein described art which consists in shaping a sweatband so that it will assume a frustro-conical shape, shaping a waterproofed band member having one side thereof smooth and the other side thereof rough, overturning one peripheral edge of said band member from the smooth surface to the rough surface to form a double thickness, stitching the larger diametric edge of said sweatband to said band member above the base thereof, stitching said band member to a hat body so that the stitches pass through the double thickness of said band member out of engagement with said sweatband, and securing a band to the exterior of said hat by passing stitches through said band and through said hat body so that said stitches do not come intocontact with the stitches securing said first mentioned band member to said hat body.

8. In hat construction, in combination, a waterproofed band member having a rough 10 surface and a smooth surface, a sweatband secured to the smooth surface of said band substantiaily near one edge thereof, a hat body, and stitches passing through said band out of contact with said sweatband and through said hat body to secure said band thereto, so that the rough surface of said band member is next to said hat body.

9. The herein described art which consists in forming a sweat band, shaping a waterproofed band having one side thereof smooth and the other side thereof rough, overturning one parallel edge of said band member from the smooth surface to the rough surface to form a double thickness, stitching the lower edge of said sweat band to said band member above the base thereof, stitching said band member to a hat body so that the rough surface of said band member lies next to said hat body and so that the stitches pass through the double thickness of said band member and out of contact with said sweatband, and securing a band to the exterior of said hat bypassing stitches through said last-mentioned band and through said hat body so that said stitches do not come into contact with the stitches securing said first-mentioned band member to said hat body.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 16th day of 40 August, 1930.

FRANK H. LEE. 

